If you ruled the country

[abacucat]

If you were suddenly made a benign dictator of your country, what rules would you bring in?

You know when you’re on the bus and someone rings the bell? And the light comes on to say bus stopping, and the driver is definitely slowing down? But they keep ringing the bell a few more times?
Yeah, those people would be imprisoned.

Nah those people would be hung Judas !!!!

Seriously 1. Every empty office or flat or house would be made into a habitable home. Before building any more shitty little boxes on lovely green sites,

2, Encourage organic farming, making the country self sufficient as far as possible, stop bringing in vast gas guzzling farm machinery, and green beans and parnips etc. grown in effing Kenya. Have many more people working on the farms. Help them with living expenses. etc.

1. Make the education system suit the recipients, e.g not forcing formal learning on little children.

First thing I would do is draw up a list of all companies that offer necessary services: transport, education (schoold, colleges and unis, not every single course on every subject), utilities, health, housing and make them not-for-profit. No shareholders on necessary service industries. The income would be ploughed back into improving the service and keeping its costs as low as possible, so that the majority had to spend less on necessities and had more disposable income to spend as they chose, which would revitalise the economy.

Next I'd bring in an immediate huge fine to anyone who had a property that stood empty. If they hadn't filled it with rental clients within six weeks, they'd be required to rent it out via the state for a peppercorn rent to key workers and once they are all housed in cheap, central homes, to anyone else who needs or wants affordable housing.

I'd abolish zero hour contracts.

I'd introduce full charges for medical costs incurred by drinking, drug-taking and dangerous sports.

Judashascomeintosomemoney
You know when you’re on the bus and someone rings the bell? And the light comes on to say bus stopping, and the driver is definitely slowing down? But they keep ringing the bell a few more times?

They'll be joined in prison by the people at the bus stop who wait for person 1 to stick their arm out, wait for the bus to indicate, start moving and slowing down - and THEN decide to start leaping about waving their arms like they have been caught in a cloud of flies.

After the education and health are systems had been overhauled and have decent funding?

Potholes. If a pothole is reported, it will be dealt with within 24 hours. Council finances will be strictly monitored to ensure they have the money for this. Companies with big heavy lorries on the roads, particularly country roads, will have to pay an extra tax to help fix the damage their vehicles do to roads. There will be stricter parking laws around schools, hospitals, train stations, and corners.
Anyone found parking in a manner that means an emergency vehicle can't get past, will have their vehicle confiscated. And have to pay a big fine.

Can you tell what's been annoying me lately??

JaneJeffer
safari shots fired grin

Was very confused until I realised you weren't name-checking me in this comment!

All NHS waiting lists to be 13 weeks or shorter including CAMHS. Train and import more psychologists and psychiatrists to take up the slack.
Cancel Brexit.
Ban teaching unproven or just plain wrong theories in all schools - my children cannot be taught creation as fact, so shouldn't be taught that humans can change sex (and nor should Steiner schools be able to teach planting crops by the phases of the moon etc etc).

I’d make voting mandatory.

Massive public transport improvement, so everywhere is as good as London with a focus on East / West transport rather than trains to London.
Limit 1 car per household.
Limit on all class sizes to 20 max.

also cancel Brexit.

I’d revoke Article 50, then make it British summer time all year around.

abacucat how do you account for Always on My Mind by the Pet Shop Boys which is even better than Elvis?

There are always outliers, but the general rule still applies.

There would be lengthy jail sentences for anyone that cuts in at the last minute on traffic queuing on a motorway. Also for:

-hanging doo poo bags on branches/walls
-phoning an ambulance because you’re pissed
-Cadbury’s or whoever they are now they’ve ruined Our Chocolate
-Piers Morgan (this will win me everlasting love from all my subjects

Anyone embarking on building work without planning permission will be made to pay their neighbours mortgage off.

Do one kind thing for someone else each day.

Try and come up with a package of solutions to eradicate homelessness, reduce poverty and increase people’s “lot”.

Fire Chris Grayling. Return the railways to public ownership. Sell bonds to anyone who wants them to invest in the railways.

Ban zero hours contracts. Improve employment law to keep up with modern technology and working practices.

Sell off much of the Westminster estate and put Parliament in Birmingham.

End the Royal Family’s civil list.

Broaden the National Curriculum.

I wouldn't allow juries to sit on rape trials, until the world is a bit less misogynistic the general public can't be trusted with the fate of victims in their hands. It would be decided by a judge with a good track record of not hating women

Middle lane hoggers on the motorway.
Confiscate their cars.

Anyone who leaves their dog poo on the pavement will be put in the stocks in the town square. Everyone will be invited to throw rotten fruit at them.

Anyone who plays music out loud on public transport will be banned from owning electronic equipment for 3 years.

End the TV licence fee.

Anyone who leaves their dog poo on the pavement will be put in the stocks in the town square. Everyone will be invited to throw rotten fruit at them.

Why don't we just throw their dog poo at them?

Pet shop boys? Better than Elvis?

Go to jail. 15 years minimum

I wouldn't be Benign that is for sure which is weird as I am fairly laid back and normally it takes a lot to rile me but this would give me the opportunity to ban those bloody scooters and (I am sorry about this) bloody bikes on the pavement and ignoring the green man at traffic lights. Smokers (including Vapers). There are loads more. Animal and child cruelty - these are hanging drawing and quartering offences. I will shit up now before North Korea ask me to help out there.....

I would ensure that things like education, transport and the health service were removed from party political influence to ensure long term planning. Independent experts and those actually involved in delivering these services would make the decisions.

Annual driving tests for the over 65s and under 25s.

Make everyone do compulsory services in their community, such as litter picking, mending broken fences and planting trees.

Give greater protections to the environment.

Ensure companies use renewable energy and materials that can be recycled. Bigger fines for pollution etc.

Affordable childcare.

Employment opportunities for those who are currently excluded from, or disadvantaged within, the workplace.

Get on top of crime. More effective policing, proper punishments for paedophiles and child abusers and those who commit domestic violence.

National service for youngsters involving community work as well as teaching them how to take responsibility for themselves and learning to respect others.

Repeat offenders of any crime will be stuffed unceremoniously into a B52 bomber and dropped out over deepest Siberia to take their chances in the wilderness. Would have to ask the Russians for permission to do this I expect.

Also toilet related. All bars/restaurants must have toilets on the same floor as the bar/restaurant area. No more teetering on dodgy staircases when you're a bit pissed.

Annual driving tests for the over 65s and under 25s.

Please don't do this knittedmouse. It took me five goes to pass my test because of nerves. Don't make me go through that again! Mind you, I've got a few years to go before I'd need to do it under your rules.

But new drivers/drivers under 21 would not be allowed to take passengers (as per other countries) so as not to have an audience for showing off.